Prevalence and clinical value of IgA and hidden rheumatoid factors in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is so difficult to be diagnosed early and a small subgroup of patients has positive IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) detected by the standard agglutination techniques.Objective: To investigate the prevalence of IgA and hidden RFs among patients with JRA, to evaluate their diagnostic value in comparison to classic RF and to outline their relation to disease activity, severity as well as to therapy.Methods: The study included 46 patients with JRA (31 females and 15 males). Thirty patients had polyarticular JRA, 9 had oligoarticular JRA and 7 had systemic-onset JRA. Twelve patients had active disease. Thirteen systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 32 healthy subjects were studied as controls. Evaluation was carried out clinically and radiologically (using modified Larsen scoring). Laboratory investigations included CBC, ESR, classic IgM RF (latex agglutination), ANA (indirect  immunofluorescence), IgA-RF (ELISA) and hidden RF seropositivity (ion exchange chromatography).Results: All JRA patients had significantly higher IgA-RF (121.5 ± 195.4 mg/dL) and positivity of hidden RF (56.5%) than lupus (14 ± 6.6 mg/dL and 7.7% respectively) and healthy controls (13.7 ± 6.2 mg/dL and 0% respectively). Classic IgM RF had only 10.9% sensitivity in diagnosing JRA. IgA and hidden RFs had higher sensitivities (50% and 56.5% respectively). Specificity, positive and negative predictive values of IgA-RF were 97.7%, 95.8% and 65.7% and for hidden RF, they were 95.5%, 92.9% and 68.3%. Interestingly, combined positivity of IgA and hidden RFs had 100% specificity and positive predictive value for JRA. Classic RF did not correlate with disease activity and severity in terms of ESR, activity score and Larsen Index. In contrast, patients with active disease had significantly higher value of IgA-RF and positivity of hidden RF than those with quiescent disease. Also, IgA-RF had significant positive correlation with ESR, activity score and Larsen index. Similarly, patients with positive hidden RF had significantly higher values of ESR, activity score and Larsen index than those with negative hidden RF. Steroid therapy was associated with significantly higher level of IgA-RF and positivity of hidden RF, perhaps related to disease severity.Conclusion: IgA and hidden RFs are more sensitive tests in diagnosing JRA than classic IgM RF. Also, the combined positivity of IgA and hidden RFs can confirm the diagnosis of JRA in doubtful cases. The fact that IgA and hidden RFs gave positive results in the meantime that classic RF was negative, together with their significant relation to disease activity and severity highlights their clinical value as reliable laboratory markers of JRA.Key words: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid factors, IgA-RF, hidden RF, SLE

A lack of association between elevated serum levels of S100B protein and autoimmunity in autistic children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>S100B is a calcium-binding protein that is produced primarily by astrocytes. Increased serum S100B protein levels reflect neurological damage. Autoimmunity may have a role in the pathogenesis of autism in some patients. Autoantibodies may cross the blood-brain barrier and combine with brain tissue antigens, forming immune complexes and resulting in neurological damage. We are the first to investigate the relationship between serum levels of S100B protein, a marker of neuronal damage, and antiribosomal P protein antibodies in autistic children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Serum S100B protein and antiribosomal P antibodies were measured in 64 autistic children in comparison to 46 matched healthy children.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Autistic children had significantly higher serum S100B protein levels than healthy controls (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Children with severe autism had significantly higher serum S100B protein than patients with mild to moderate autism (<it>P </it>= 0.01). Increased serum levels of antiribosomal P antibodies were found in 40.6% of autistic children. There were no significant correlations between serum levels of S100B protein and antiribosomal P antibodies (<it>P </it>= 0.29).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>S100B protein levels were elevated in autistic children and significantly correlated to autistic severity. This may indicate the presence of an underlying neuropathological condition in autistic patients. Antiribosomal P antibodies may not be a possible contributing factor to the elevated serum levels of S100B protein in some autistic children. However, further research is warranted to investigate the possible link between serum S100B protein levels and other autoantibodies, which are possible indicators of autoimmunity to central nervous system in autism.</p

Search for High Mass Photon Pairs in p-pbar --> gamma-gamma-jet-jet Events at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV

A search has been carried out for events in the channel p-barp --> gamma gamma jet jet. Such a signature can characterize the production of a non-standard Higgs boson together with a W or Z boson. We refer to this non-standard Higgs, having standard model couplings to vector bosons but no coupling to fermions, as a "bosonic Higgs." With the requirement of two high transverse energy photons and two jets, the diphoton mass (m(gamma gamma)) distribution is consistent with expected background. A 90(95)% C.L. upper limit on the cross section as a function of mass is calculated, ranging from 0.60(0.80) pb for m(gamma gamma) = 65 GeV/c^2 to 0.26(0.34) pb for m(gamma gamma) = 150 GeV/c^2, corresponding to a 95% C.L. lower limit on the mass of a bosonic Higgs of 78.5 GeV/c^2.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Replacement has new H->gamma gamma branching ratios and corresponding new mass limit

Ratio of the Isolated Photon Cross Sections at \sqrt{s} = 630 and 1800 GeV

The inclusive cross section for production of isolated photons has been measured in \pbarp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 630$ GeV with the \D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The photons span a transverse energy ($E_T$) range from 7-49 GeV and have pseudorapidity $|\eta| < 2.5$. This measurement is combined with to previous \D0 result at $\sqrt{s} = 1800$ GeV to form a ratio of the cross sections. Comparison of next-to-leading order QCD with the measured cross section at 630 GeV and ratio of cross sections show satisfactory agreement in most of the $E_T$ range.Comment: 7 pages. Published in Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 251805, (2001

The Dijet Mass Spectrum and a Search for Quark Compositeness in bar{p}p Collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV

Using the DZero detector at the 1.8 TeV pbarp Fermilab Tevatron collider, we have measured the inclusive dijet mass spectrum in the central pseudorapidity region |eta_jet| < 1.0 for dijet masses greater than 200 Gev/c^2. We have also measured the ratio of spectra sigma(|eta_jet| < 0.5)/sigma(0.5 < |eta_jet| < 1.0). The order alpha_s^3 QCD predictions are in good agreement with the data and we rule out models of quark compositeness with a contact interaction scale < 2.4 TeV at the 95% confidence level.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Combining single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene expression of LEP, FABP4, STAT5A and DGAT1 genes for improvement of body weight in Holstein calves

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association of single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene expression of leptin (LEP), fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT1) genes with body weight in Holstein calves. For the RNA extraction process, blood samples from 100 Holstein bull calves were taken. According to farm records, the acquired bull calves were weaned at a body weight of roughly 90 kg, with birth weights ranging from 31 to 38 kg and weaning ages ranging from 60 to 100 days. To account for the non-genetic causes, the dairy calves' body weight was changed to their 205-day body weight. Nucleotide sequence changes in the form of SNPs were found in the LEP, FABP4, STAT5A, and DGAT1 genes in the investigated Holstein calves. The identified SNPs and corrected 205-day body weight showed a significant correlation (P &lt; 0.05). According to ΔCT values, a significant relationship between the mRNA levels of the LEP, FABP4, STAT5A, and DGAT1 genes and body weight was also found (P &lt; 0.05). The effectiveness of the LEP, FABP4, STAT5A, and DGAT1 genes as proxies for growth qualities in Holstein dairy calves is highlighted by this study. Therefore, it was possible to select an animal with a high rate of growth

A narrative review on the similarities and dissimilarities between myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (me/cfs) and sickness behavior

It is of importance whether myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a variant of sickness behavior. The latter is induced by acute infections/injury being principally mediated through proinflammatory cytokines. Sickness is a beneficial behavioral response that serves to enhance recovery, conserves energy and plays a role in the resolution of inflammation. There are behavioral/symptomatic similarities (for example, fatigue, malaise, hyperalgesia) and dissimilarities (gastrointestinal symptoms, anorexia and weight loss) between sickness and ME/CFS. While sickness is an adaptive response induced by proinflammatory cytokines, ME/CFS is a chronic, disabling disorder, where the pathophysiology is related to activation of immunoinflammatory and oxidative pathways and autoimmune responses. While sickness behavior is a state of energy conservation, which plays a role in combating pathogens, ME/CFS is a chronic disease underpinned by a state of energy depletion. While sickness is an acute response to infection/injury, the trigger factors in ME/CFS are less well defined and encompass acute and chronic infections, as well as inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. It is concluded that sickness behavior and ME/CFS are two different conditions

Search for New Physics Using Quaero: A General Interface to - D0 Event Data

We describe Quaero, a method that i) enables the automatic optimization of searches for physics beyond the standard model, and ii) provides a mechanism for making high energy collider data generally available. We apply Quaero to searches for standard model WW, ZZ, and ttbar production, and to searches for these objects produced through a new heavy resonance. Through this interface, we make three data sets collected by the D0 experiment at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV publicly available